Camino: December 16th
Today’s Gospel from Luke shows how our history of salvation is rooted in the ordinary and the human. John the Baptist, now a prisoner of Herod, sees himself preparing the road for the Messiah, but who is this Messiah, this Saviour? He sends two friends to Jesus to ask, “are you the one who is to come our must we wait for someone else?” (Lk 7: 19). After our experience yesterday, you could expect a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ from Jesus; Jesus rather points to what is going on-he points to his actions. What do you expect a Messiah or Saviour to be? If it is leading an army of rebellion against the Roman, then the answer is a firm ‘NO’! if you are looking for a wise detached academic at home with his library of books, then again, the answer is ‘NO’! However, if you are looking for healing and restoration, then there is light at the end of your search, there is a ‘YES’ for “the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor” (Lk 7: 22).
Jesus is living out the ‘mission statement’ that he proclaimed back home in Nazareth when he used Isaiah (see Isa 61:1-2) to kick-start his ministry: “he has sent me to bring Good News to the poor” (Lk 4: 18). John’s disciples can see with their own eyes what Jesus has done; they can experience that inclusive ministry of care for themselves.
As we see in the great parable of Last Judgement (Matt 25: 31-46), Christianity is a call to be active and involved and not sitting around on the side-lines.
John is searching for a Messiah and Jesus wants to present a Messiah who is not distant and out of reach. We are called to experience God in the ordinary of life today; it is wonderful to get to a Church or Cathedral to pray, but today we can pray on the top deck of the bus, in the car, on the way to school and even in the chaos of the school run. God always walks with us; can you walk with God this day?
Today: what Good News can you share at home, work or school?
We can pray:
Lord, make me responsive to the needs of others.
May I be source of GOOD NEWS today and not fake news!
May we share your light as we become more involved in our world this day. AMEN
